The energy of the sun, although inexhaustible and does not pollute, raises a number of disadvantages, generally related to the dependence of the weather and its costs.
DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY
The use of solar energy through photovoltaic modules to generate electricity or with solar collectors to produce hot water is increasingly frequent .
Being a renewable energy source, it has many advantages, since it does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, it is inexhaustible and has many applications, both domestically and on a large scale.
However, it also has some disadvantages, such as the variation in the amount of energy that can be produced throughout the year, the high initial cost and the visual impact of the installed panels.
The energy produced varies throughout the seasons
The generation of solar energy depends mainly on the ambient temperature and the incident solar radiation.
Less hours of light less energy is generated, so energy production is much lower in winter than in summer.
This implies that, at certain times of the year, it is necessary to complete the production of energy with other fuels.
A strong initial investment is necessary
The installation of solar panels is a great initial investment. Although the life of the facilities is estimated at 25 years, it takes at least 10-15 years to recover the initial cost.
In addition, the facilities need adequate periodic maintenance to function properly.
Solar panels produce an environmental impact
Solar panels have a great visual impact on the landscape when used to produce electricity on a large scale, since they occupy large areas.
This impact is also visible on the roofs of buildings with panels installed, although to a lesser extent. In fact, in some cases, it is not allowed to be installed in protected buildings, such as Goods of Cultural Interest (BIC).
On the other hand, the panels are manufactured with materials that must be treated as hazardous waste at the end of their useful life (silicon, lead …).
- Other disadvantages
In the case of using photovoltaic solar energy, the price of the kWh generated is higher than through other technologies.
Finally, in many cases, the areas with the highest solar radiation are desert places, far from the consumption areas.
Do you think the advantages of solar energy outweigh the disadvantages?
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